IN THE MATTER OF AMENDED PETITION TO NOMINATE SURF ACE WATERS IN FOREST SERVICE WILDERNESS AS OUTSTANDING NATIONAL RESOURCE WATERS, New Mexico Environment Department, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, and New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, Petitioners; IN THE MATTER OF PETITION TO AMEND ANTIDEGRATION POLICY, 20.4.6.8.A(3) NMAC, New Mexico Environment Department, Petitioner; IN THE MATTER OF REQUEST TO AMEND ANTIDEGRADATION POLICY IMPLEMENTATION PROCEDURES and TO ISSUE GUIDANCE FOR NONPOINT SOURCE I DISCHARGES IN AREAS DESIGNATED AS ONRWS, I New Mexico Environment Department, I I' Petitioner. Preliminary Statement On Earth Day 2008, Governor Bill Richardson announced the State of New Mexico’s intention to seek Outstanding National Resource Water (“ONRW”) designation for surface waters within United States Forest Service (“Forest Service”) Wilderness areas in New Mexico. If successful, this nomination would protect over 700 miles of 199 perennial rivers and streams, 29 lakes, and approximately 6,000 acres of wetlands. Protecting the state’s headwater streams, lakes and wetlands from degradation by designating them as ONRWs will establish a foundation for long-term preservation and restoration of some of New Mexico's most significant surface waters. Protection of these waters will help maintain a clean water supply for uses in Wilderness areas and for downstream uses by municipalities, agricultural, and recreational interests, and will help maintain healthy, functioning ecosystems, preserve habitat, and protect endangered and threatened species. In order to protect these waters, this Amended Petition requests the Water Quality Control Commission (“Commission”) to take four integrally related actions. First, pursuant to Section 20.6.4.9.A NMAC and the Guidelines for Commission Regulation Hearings, the New Mexico Environment Department (“NMED”), the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (“NMDGF”), and the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (collectively “Petitioners”) petition to nominate named perennial surface waters of the state in Wilderness within Forest Service lands as ONRWs. The waters nominated for ONRW designation in this Amended Petition represent waters that are a significant attribute of a designated Wilderness area; are part of a designated wild river under the federal Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (“WSRA”); are a significant attribute of a state gold medal trout fishery; or have exceptional recreational or ecological significance and, therefore, are eligible for the highest protection under the Commission’s Regulations. 20.6.4.9.B(1) and -(2) NMAC. Petitioners’ nomination is set forth in proposed amendments to 20.6.4.9.D NMAC, set forth in Section I.A.1 of this Amended Petition and attached as Exhibit 1. Second, pursuant to NMSA 1978, § 74-6-4(C) and the Guidelines for Commission Regulation Hearings, NMED petitions the Commission to amend the Commission’s Antidegradation Policy and Implementation Plan (“Antidegradation Policy”) set forth in 20.6.4.8.A(3) NMAC. The proposed amendments to the Antidegradation Policy revise the regulatory framework for protection of surface waters of the state, including ONRWs. The proposed revisions to the Antidegradation Policy are set forth in proposed amendments to 20.6.4.7 and -8.A NMAC, set forth in Section II.B.1 below and in Exhibit 1. Third, pursuant to NMSA 1978, § 74-6-4(B), NMED requests the Commission to approve amendments to the Antidegradation Policy Implementation Procedures (“Antidegradation Procedures”), found at Appendix 1 of the State’s Continuing Planning Process (“CPP”) document.1 The Antidegradation Procedures establish procedures for implementing the Antidegradation Policy for permitted discharges to all surface waters, including ONRWs. The proposed amendments to the Antidegradation Procedures are set forth in Exhibit 2, attached. Fourth, pursuant to NMSA 1978, § 74-6-4(B), NMED requests the Commission to approve a new document, Guidance for Nonpoint Source Discharges in Areas Designated as Outstanding National Resource Waters (“Nonpoint Source Guidance”). The Nonpoint Source Guidance would establish guidelines for implementing the Antidegradation Policy as it applies to nonpoint source discharges that have potential to impact ONRWs. The proposed Nonpoint Source Guidance is set forth in Exhibit 3, attached. 1 The CPP may be found in full at http://www.nmenv.state.nm.us/swqb/cpp/2004cpp.pdf. 2 I. NOMINATION OF PERENNIAL SURFACE WATERS WITHIN FOREST SERVICE WILDERNESS A. Nomination of Perennial Waters within Forest Service Wilderness 1. Nomination Petitioners request the Commission to designate named perennial surface waters of the state that are located within Forest Service Wilderness as ONRWs by amending 20.6.4.9.D NMAC as follows: D. Waters classified as ONRWs: The following waters are classified as ONRWs: . (3) the named perennial surface waters of the state, identified in subparagraph (a) below, located within United States department of agriculture forest service wilderness. Wilderness are those lands designated by the United States congress as wilderness pursuant to the Wilderness Act. Wilderness areas included in this designation are the Aldo Leopold Wilderness, Apache Kid Wilderness, Blue Range Wilderness, Chama River Canyon Wilderness, Cruces Basin Wilderness, Dome Wilderness, Gila Wilderness, Latir Peak Wilderness, Pecos Wilderness, San Pedro Parks Wilderness, Wheeler Peak Wilderness, and White Mountain Wilderness. (a) The following waters are designated: (i) RIO GRANDE BASIN WILDERNESS WATER NAME WILDERNESS WATER NAME Aldo Leopold Byers Run Cruces Basin Beaver Creek Circle Seven Creek Cruces Creek Flower Canyon Diablo Creek Holden Prong Escondido Creek Indian Canyon Lobo Creek Las Animas Creek Osha Creek Mud Spring Canyon Dome Capulin Creek North Fork Palomas Creek Medio Creek North Seco Creek Sanchez Canyon/Creek Pretty Canyon Latir Peak Bull Creek Sids Prong Bull Creek Lake South Animas Canyon Heart Lake Victorio Park Canyon Lagunitas Fork Water Canyon Lake Fork Creek Apache Kid Indian Creek Rito del Medio Smith Canyon Rito Primero Chama River Canyon Chavez Canyon West Latir Creek Ojitos Canyon Pecos Agua Sarca Rio Chama Hidden Lake 3 WILDERNESS WATER NAME WILDERNESS WATER NAME Horseshoe Lake (Alamitos) Clear Creek (North SPP) Jose Vigil Lake Clear Creek (South SPP) Nambe Lake Corralitos Creek Nat Lake IV Dove Creek No Fish Lake Jose Miguel Creek North Fork Rio Quemado La Jara Creek Rinconada Oso Creek Rio Capulin Rio Capulin Rio de las Trampas Rio de las Vacas (Trampas Cr) Rio Gallina Rio de Truchas Rio Puerco de Chama Rio Frijoles Rito Anastacio East Rio Medio Rito Anastacio West Rio Molino Rito de las Palomas Rio Nambe Rito de las Perchas Rio San Leonardo Rito de los Pinos Rito con Agua Rito de los Utes Rito Gallina Rito Leche Rito Jaroso Rito Redondo Rito Quemado Rito Resumidero San Leonardo Lake San Gregorio Lake Santa Fe Lake Wheeler Peak Black Copper Canyon Santa Fe River East Fork Red River Serpent Lake Elk Lake South Fork Rio Quemado Horseshoe Lake Trampas Lake (East) Lost Lake Trampas Lake (West) Sawmill Creek Wild Horse Canyon South Fork Lake San Pedro Parks Agua Sarca South Fork Rio Hondo Canon Madera Williams Lake Cave Creek Cecilia Canyon Creek (ii) PECOS RIVER BASIN WILDERNESS WATER NAME WILDERNESS WATER NAME Pecos Albright Creek Panchuela Creek Bear Creek Pecos Baldy Lake Beatty Creek Pecos River Beaver Creek Rinconada Carpenter Creek Rio Mora Cascade Canyon Rio Valdez Cave Creek Rito Azul El Porvenir Creek Rito de los Chimayosos Hollinger Creek Rito de los Esteros Holy Ghost Creek Rito del Oso Horsethief Creek Rito del Padre Jack's Creek Rito las Trampas Jarosa Canyon/Creek Rito Maestas Johnson Lake Rito Oscuro Lake Katherine Rito Perro Lost Bear Lake Rito Sebadilloses Noisy Brook South Fork Bear Creek 4 WILDERNESS WATER NAME WILDERNESS WATER NAME South Fork Rito Azul Aspen Creek Spirit Lake Bonito Creek Stewart Lake Little Bonito Creek Truchas Lake (North) Mills Canyon/Creek Truchas Lake (South) Rodamaker Creek Winsor Creek South Fork Rio Bonito White Mountain Argentina Creek Turkey Canyon/Creek (iii) GILA RIVER BASIN WILDERNESS WATER NAME WILDERNESS WATER NAME Aldo Leopold Aspen Canyon Lookout Canyon Black Canyon Creek McKenna Creek Bonner Canyon Middle Fork Gila River Burnt Canyon Miller Spring Canyon Diamond Creek Mogollon Creek Falls Canyon Panther Canyon Fisherman Canyon Prior Creek Running Water Canyon Rain Creek South Diamond Creek Raw Meat Creek Gila Apache Creek Rocky Canyon Black Canyon Creek Sacaton Creek Brush Canyon Sapillo Creek Canyon Creek Sheep Corral Canyon Chicken Coop Canyon Skeleton Canyon Clear Creek Squaw Creek Cooper Canyon Sycamore Canyon Cow Creek Trail Canyon Cub Creek Trail Creek Diamond Creek Trout Creek East Fork Gila River Turkey Creek Gila River Turkey Feather Creek Gilita Creek Turnbo Canyon Indian Creek West Fork Gila River Iron Creek West Fork Mogollon Cr Langstroth Canyon White Creek Lilley Canyon Willow Creek Little Creek Woodrow Canyon Little Turkey Creek (iv) CANADIAN RIVER BASIN WILDERNESS WATER NAME WILDERNESS WATER NAME Pecos Daily Creek Rito de Gascon Johns Canyon Rito San Jose Middle Fork Lake of Rio de la Casa Sapello River Middle Fork Rio de la Casa South Fork Rio de la Casa North Fork Lake of Rio de la Casa Sparks Creek (Manuelitas Cr) 5 (v) SAN FRANCISCO RIVER BASIN WILDERNESS WATER NAME WILDERNESS WATER NAME Blue Range Pueblo Creek Gila Big Dry Creek South Fork Whitewater Creek Lipsey Canyon Spider Creek Little Dry Creek